Per adolf petterson



(No Model.)

RAPETTERSON.

GAR BRAKE.

Patented July '7, 1891.

lnven'iar- 205272 e awed;

., ma 210mm; Penna 00., mom-mum, msmnurou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT iFFicE.

PER ADOLF PETTERSON, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.455,495, dated July '7, 1891.

Application filed November 8, 1890- Serial No. 370,819. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that- I, PER ADOLF PETTERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a contrivance of a pair of gripping-jaws and a wedge device for causing the jaws to grip the rail mounted on the platform and normally supported above the railand adapted to be shifted down and caused to grip the rail on opposite sides of the head, so as to take hold. positively and more effectually than the common friction-brakes,

- as hereinafter fully described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a p1atfor1ncar provided with a brake of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the brake device enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the brake device, showing the parts in the normal positions. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing the positions of the parts as when gripping a rail, and Fig. 5 is a top View with the working-shaft in section.

In a strong supporting-tube a, set upright and securely fastened by bars d and a brace e to the platform or car-body Z) above the rail 0, I arrange at the lower end a strong pair of gripping-jaws f by pivoting them at g to the lower end of an inner tube h, with the outer edges t projecting through slotsj of the tube a in suitable arrangement for the jaws to grip the sides ofthe rail-head when lowered sufficiently and caused to close thereon. The jaws have the shanks 70 extending upward a suitable distance above the pivot g. for being wedged apart to grip the rail, and a wedge Z is provided for the purpose, said wedge being swiveled to the lower end of the workingshaft m, fitted in the inner tube It and having the usual hand-Wheel n on the upper end. Between the outer holding-tube a and the inner tube h is a coiled spring 0, confined between fiange p on said inner tube and the flange q of outer tube a, so as to force the jaws down into the working position when permitted to do so. I

On the top of tube a is a short tubular cap 8, fitted to rotate and having opposite spiral direction at thetop, as indicated in head u. The tube h has studs 1; projecting into said spiral slots of the cap for raising said tube and the j aws'to the normal positions after the brake has been used, which is to be efiected by turning said cap 8 half a turn to the left, and said slots permit the jaws to be forced down by the spring 0 when said cap is turned to the right.

The working-shaft m is screw-threaded in the tube h and rises and falls with it when shifted up and down by the cap and the spring, and it also screws down and up in said tube for forcing the jaws apart to grip the rail and for releasing them from the rail.

The working-shaft m has a couple of slots w, and on the top of the cap 8 a pawl-lever 0c is pivoted suitably for being made to engage one of said slot-s, according as it is thrust one way or the other with one hand, by which said cap is so connected with the workingshaft that the hand-wheel may be utilized for turning the cap to raise or lower the jaws; but the cap may of course have a hand-Wheel or lever. specially fitted to it, so as to turn it independently of. the working-shaft, if desired. The spring y is provided for opening the jaws.

The spiral slots 25 may assume a level course or a slightly-downward incline in the reverse Fig. 2, in

which the stud-pins will be held so as to pre vent the working of the cap by the jarring of the car, so as to let the jaws descend.

My invention is alike applicable to cars of any form or kind.

I claim 1. The combination, with a railroad-car, of

the rail gripping jaws and jaw-actuatingwedge mounted on the car vertically in the position for gripping the rails and having the jaw lowering and raising cap for adjusting said jaws and the screwthreaded workingshaft for actuating the wedge, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the supporting-tube attachedto the car, the inner tube having the jaw pivoted to it and being vertically adj ust able in the outer tube, the spring and spirallyslotted cap for adjusting the jaws, and the working-shaft and wedge mounted in the jawsupporting tube, said supporting-tube attached to the car being' slotted at the lower the cap, said working-shaft having the slots end and the jaws arranged insaid slots, subfor the pawl, substantially as described. stantially as described. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 3. The combination of the supporting-tube my invention I have signed my name, in pres- 5 attached tothe car,'the inner tube having the ence of two witnesses, this 13th day of Octo- I 5 jaws pivoted to it and being vertically adj ustber, 1890.

able in the outer tube, the spring and spirally- PER ADOLF PETTERSON. slotted cap for adjusting the jaws, the work- \Vitnesses: ing-shaft and wedge mounted in the jaw-sup- I W. J. MORGAN,

1o porting shaft, and the lever-pawl. attached to A. P. THAYER. 

